Nothing makes your home feel more festive and magical than a kitchen hot chocolate bar. Kids and adults alike with find joy in warming up with a cup of hot chocolate on a cold December afternoon and this kitchen hot chocolate bar will not disappoint!
Top 3 items you need to create your own kitchen hot chocolate bar:
It’s December and just this week we got our first snow of the year! Which means we spent the week digging out our snow gear, building a snowman and chasing each other with snow balls.
But whenever it’s time to come inside, my kids always ask the same question:
“Can we have hot chocolate? With marshmallows?”
And of course I have to say yes. I mean, I’m pretty sure I lived on hot chocolate and marshmallows throughout childhood and college so I’m no stranger to making a warm mug to sip while doing homework. However, this is the first time I’ve made a hot chocolate bar that will sit semi-permanently on the counter.
And while having a small kitchen mean making choices about what occupies prime counter space, a hot chocolate bar seemed a worthy winter addition.
Storage containers
I decanted my marshmallows and stirring spoons into glass containers with bamboo tops. This looks a whole lot prettier than a bag tied with a rubber band and keeps the marshmallows soft and fresh. Plus, these containers can easily be repurposed to hold snacks, baking ingredients or even bathroom products when I’m ready to put away the hot chocolate bar.
For the hot chocolate mix, I repurposed a ceramic container I normally use for tea. A quick wash and it was ready for hot chocolate
And for the English Toffee syrup, I used a glass oil dispenser and a quick label I made using my P-Touch label maker. The dispenser at the top is perfect for for adding a quick pour into hot chocolate or coffee.
Trays
An easy way to make a group of items look cohesive and keep it organized is by placing everything on a tray. I have a few trays that I like to move around my house to use in different ways. Sometimes in the living room to hold remotes and coasters, other times in the kitchen to hold plants or coffee mugs.
My wood tray is from Target and they still make it in a wood/black combo. It’s a nice generous size and very sturdy!
Hot chocolate, marshmallows & other mix-ins
When it comes to hot chocolate mix, I went with the classic Swiss Miss. This bulk container even included mini marshmallows in the mix!
And for mix-ins, I found some cute pink and white stripe marshmallows, regular marshmallows and candy cane stirring spoons. I also grabbed some white sprinkles I had in my pantry and decanted them into an extra spice container. A spray can of whipped cream kept in the fridge is a yummy addition as well!
Mugs
I love winter themed mugs and will switch out my every day mugs during December and January. These snowman mugs are from Willams-Sonoma (but a million years ago, so no longer sold in stores. I will keep these forever, but if I did have to buy new ones I like these simple snowflake mugs from Crate & Barrel.
Keeping them snow themed means I don’t have to take them down on December 26th when I pack up the rest of my Christmas decorations. 🙂
How to make hot chocolate
To make out hot chocolate, we use an electric tea kettle to heat the water. Then we mix in a scoop or two of chocolate powder and a splash of milk to cool it down for the kids. Give it a good mix, then add marshmallows, a stir spoon, whipped cream and sprinkles!
And for the adults, I highly recommend a poor man’s mocha: black coffee, hot chocolate mix and a touch of English Toffee syrup. MMMmmm!
I’m pretty sure we will be making hot chocolate every day from here until Christmas. But there could be worse things.
Wishing everyone a warm & toasty December!
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